1 _UID 29D03809BB558F4A9BEE8B14186B9998FF4B
In the 1850 census for Polk County, MO, Charles appears as a child in his father's household. His age is listed as 1 and his place of birth as Missouri.In the printed account of the 1860 census for Polk County, MO, Charles appears as a child in his father's household. His age is given as 12 and his place of birth as Missouri.
In the 1870 census for Randolph County, MO, Charles appears as a member of his father's household. His age is listed as 21 and his place of birth as Missouri. His occupation is listed as "works on farm".
The information all both census records confirm family information on Charles' birthdate and place of birth.
1 _UID 39FF0B5A1AD56146990CEC128CE0D01527CF
1 _UID ABB0E3993EE12B41A9AE7BA32E58C782A6A4
1 _UID D62D6C4C3ADA6E4E9D5BC3E1468129BED5EE
Mary and her husband lived on a farm adjoining John Lessly farm on the south side. This farm was later owned by Elmer Gill family until it was made a part of the Hagerman Wildlife Refuge.In the printed account of the 1860 census for Polk County, MO, Mary appears as a child in her father's household. Her age is given as 6 and her place of birth as Missouri.
In the 1870 census for Randolph County, MO, Mary is listed as a member of her father's household. Her age is listed as 15 and her place of birth as Missouri. Also she is listed as having attended school within the last year.
The information from both census records confirms family information on Mary's birthdate and place of birth.
1 NAME George "Tom" /Kimbrough/
2 GIVN George "Tom"
2 SURN Kimbrough
1 _UID 759D35DDF8616649A975224104B24E1BCC63
George appears in the 1880 census for Randolph Co., MO on page 18, Supervisor's Dist. No. 5, Enumeration Dist. No. 105. His age is listed as 26, his occupation as farmer and his place of birth as Missouri. His father's birthplace is listed as North Carolina and his mother's as Missouri.George appears in the 1920 census for Oklahoma, Johnston County, Gibbs Twp, page 1B. His age is listed as 68 or 69. His birthplace is listed as Missouri. His father's birthplace is listed as South Dakota and his mother's birthplace is listed as Kentucky. His occupation is listed as farmer. Also listed in the household is his wife, Alice. Alice's mother is listed as having been born in South Dakota too but that is not true.
Kimbrough, Henry -- b. 23 Feb 1836 Rand. Co-26 Dec 1923, [s\o John S., of Surrey Co., NC]; m. 1st 23 Feb 1860 Elizabeth J. (d\o George W. & Ann Ferguson); children: (1) Anna A. m. Stephen G. Hamilton, (2) George T., (3) Hattie L., (4) John S.; Henry m. 2nd 21 Jul 1881 Milan, Sullivan Co., MO, Lucinda (widow of John T. Vance, d\o Joseph Lewis, org. of St. Louis Co.) = Mt. Vernon Cem; HRM84 p. 565
1 _UID 83B59FD74457444BA7381B633AB2DC3835DF
In the printed account of the 1860 census for Polk County, MO, Alice is listed as a child in her father's household. Her age is given as 4 and her place of birth as Missouri.In the 1870 census for Randolph Co., MO, Alice appears as a child in her father's household. Her age is listed as 13 and her place of birth as Missouri. Also she is listed as having attended school within the last year.
In the 1880 census for Randolph Co., MO, Alice appears as a member of her husband's household. Her age is listed as 23, her occupation as "keeping house", and her place of birth as Missouri. Both of her parents are listed as having been born in Kentucky. It had been suggested in family notes that Alice and her husband accompanied the Lessly migration to Texas (occuring about 1874-1876) but their presence in the 1880 Randolph Co., MO census dispells that notion. Family notes also suggest that at some time Alice and her husband had a farm near James Elkins Lessly in Grayson Co., TX. They may eventually have moved on with the Oklahoma land rush.
Alice appears in the 1920 census for Oklahoma, Johnston County, Gibbs Twp. as a member of her husband's household. Her age is listed as 64 and her place of birth is listed as Missouri. Her father's birthplace is listed as Kentucky and her mother's birthplace is listed as South Dakota (not true).
The information from both census records confirms family information on Alice's birthdate and birthplace.
1 _UID B21AEB3DF1748C4BBB25D743FDD7D62C0081
As a young man he worked as a cowboy in New Mexico and Arizona, he is now listed with his picture and biography in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Paul and his wife moved to Indian Territory, Purcell, Oklahoma, where their first child was born. Paul made the Oklahoma Run April 22, 1889 and staked a clam on a farm seven miles northeast of Norman. The farm had been "soonered" and Paul paid $300 for the claim. They lived in a half-dugout for sometime and then finally completed a home which burned in September, 1894. Seven more children were born to this couple. Paul and Martha Lou lived on this farm until his death March 6, 1942 and her death April 25, 1948.In the printed account of the 1860 census for Polk County, MO, Paul is listed as a child in his father's household. His age is given as 2 months and his place of birth as Missouri. The post office for the family is Bolivar and in Marion Township.
In the 1870 census for Randolph County, MO, Paul is listed as a child in his father's household. His age is listed as 10 and his place of birth as Missouri. Also he is listed as having attended school within the last year.
Paul appears in the 1880 census for Grayson Co., TX as a member of his father's household. His age is listed as 20 and his place of birth as Missouri. Both parents are listed as having been born in Kentucky.
This information corresponds with family information on Paul's birthdate and birthplace.
Notes from Richard Ryan
Had nerve in head that caused pain. When doctors tried to surgically fix this problem, his heart gave out. Died in the operating room. Before he went into surgery he told "Lou" his wife, "Lou, hold down the fort, it is all yours.". He knew he would not make it.According to papers obtained from H.T. Avey, Paul was born in Randolph County, Higbee, Missouri.
He was the third child of a family of five boys and two girls. As a young man he worked as a cowboy in New Mexico and Arizona. He is listed with his picture and biography in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Paul and Martha Lou moved to Indian Territory, Purcell, Okalhoma, where their first child Melville (or Malvel) Guyton was born. Paul made the Oklahoma Run April 22, 1889, and staked a claim on a farm seven miles northeast of Norman, Oklahoma. The farm had been "soonered" and Paul paid $300 for the claim. They lived in a half-dugout for sometime and then finally completed a home which burned in September 1894. Seven more children were born to this couple as are listed in the profile.
Paul and Martha Lou lived on this farm until his death, March 6, 1942 and her death April 25, 1948.
Birthplace listed as Boliver, MO in Lynne Gibbs baby book.
1 _UID A7CA04AA72964E41BB8033C837B6FE3108DC
Notes from Richard Ryan
Her leg turned black before she died, Lynne saying that she thinks her heart threw clots before she died. She had vericose veins, as did all the other girls except Winnie Alice Lessly and her Thelma. Her 9th child lived only two days and went without name.She was eldest of three girls and one boy. Her family migrated to Grayson County, Texas, crossing the Mississippi River in a ferryboat when Martha Lou was four years old.
1 _UID 0ADF08EDAD500C4D8AB7EF22D4A7690C769B
Medical: was recovering from measles when he got sick with the whooping cough.Is buried next to his parents. No gravemarker is present to mark the location of his grave.
1 _UID 27C325B000EA2344891C5DB145E75C9EE971
In the 1900 census for Randolph County, MO, George appears as a member of his paternal grandfather's household. His date of birth is given as August 1898, his age as 1 and his birthplace as Missouri. The birthplace of both parents is also listed as Missouri.Friday, 29 Feb 1924, Vol 37 No 45--Misses Delphia, Addie and Orphia Lessly visited their brother, Roy, and family at Clark last week.
Taken from obituary for George Leroy "Roy" Lessly
HIGBEE MAN DIES OF MINE INJURIES
Roy Lessley, 38, Falls From Top of Coal Car at No. 11
Injuries sustained yesterday afternoon while he was at work at Moniteau Coal Company's mine No. 11 proved fatal early this morning for Roy Lessley, 38-year-old Higbee mine surface worker.
Lessley was brought to the McCormick hospital here from the mine near Higbee for treatment and he died at 4:30 o'clock this morning.
He sustained internal injuries when he was flung from the top of a hopper coal car, on which he was operating a brake, by the impact of other cars being switched against it. He was working overtime when the fatal mishap occured.
The body was taken to Higbee this morning, and funeral services at Higbee may be held Friday.
Mr. Lessley is survived by his wife, a son, Roy Allen Lessley; his mother, Mrs. May Lessley; two sisters and a brother, Miss Delphia Lessley; Miss Orpha Lessley and Carl Lessley all of Higbee. Another sister, Mrs. Anna Maude Horn, lives in Moberly.
Notes from James A. Lessly
I can remember my dad mentioning Roy Lessly getting killed at the Nbr 11 mine. Whenever we visited Higbee
in the 1930s & 1940s, you could see the tipple and slag heaps next to it, either looking north from town or east
from my grandpa's farm. This mine started about the time my dad was born and was about a half mile north of
Higbee. They paid my grand dad for mineral rights, for the coal under his land, but they never came close to
getting to that particular coal. About 1938, my dad & I went up to the mine & he saw someone he knew, working
there. They let us go down into the mine, about 165'. We had to stay in the area by the shaft, since they said
the work area (coal face) was about a mile away and there is no room for visitors there. It was very wet
down there. That was an old mine, so they had mules to pull the small cars of coal along the track laid
through the main tunnels of the mine. Since explosive gas was not a problem in Missouri mines, the miners
used carbide lamps for illumination. This was a metal device (about the size of a small jar of mustard) that
contained a compartment for carbide pellets, and another compartment for water. As the water slowly dripped on
to the carbide, a gas came off which was directed to the front of the lamp, where it could be lit to make a
bright flame in front of a reflector. Miners all wore these lamps on their miner's caps. You had to be a
little careful, but there wasn't too much to easily catch on fire down in the mine; also it was quite cheap
to operate, better than batteries. Even the lead mule of each team had a carbide lamp on its harness.My dad also mentioned someone that was the company spy at the mine. Don't know if that was Roy or any other
relative. I do know that in later years the miners took over ownership of the mine. Then, Uncle George said,
they had the problem of too many chiefs and not enough Indians. During the war, around 1943 perhaps, the mine
became uneconomical to operate, so it went out of business. In 1965, after we moved out here, we visited
Uncle George & Aunt Clara on Memorial Day and George & I went over to where the mine had been. The tipple was
long gone, as well as the slag heaps also. I could see where they had been, so could tell where the tipple
would have been and the shaft under it. The area of the shaft had been fenced off, but the sides had long since
caved in and weeds were growing in this area. So it was all gone in about 20 years. I remember one time my dad
& I went up on the tipple structure to where the shakers were. Whenever a car of coal came up there on the cage
(elevator) it would automatically dump on to a scale, which had to be weighed very fast. There would also be
a slip of paper on the car from the miner who had filled it. In this way the man running the scales could give
him proper credit. Real piece work! I think the miners also got something for slag, but perhaps less than for
coal. The coal was shaken on tilted shakers, which were like a giant sieve. Small holes first for small pieces
of coal, dropping over a hopper car, larger holes later for bigger pieces of coal to drop into another hopper
car on the track adjacent to the first hopper car. So much now for the mining business.
1 _UID C79F35C93044F5448616BB9701D257DA031F
[Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 1, Ed. 3, Social Security Records: U.S., SS Death Benefit Records, Surnames Beginning with L, Date of Import: May 31, 1997, Internal Ref. #1.111.3.125913.105]Individual: Lessly, Elizabeth
Birth date: Aug 25, 1897
Death date: Feb 5, 1991
Social Security #: 487-50-1880
Last residence: 24078
State of issue: MO
Carole,
I did not know that Roy Lessly's full name was George Leroy. His
gravestone in the Higbee City Cemetery just says Roy Lessly. His wife
Elizabeth was like a grandmother to me. She taught school in Novinger,
Missouri and lived in Kirksville for many years (very short distance
between Novinger and Kirksville). She and my grandmother Maude Lessly
were very good friends. Elizabeth, being the good school teacher that she
was, always gave me books to read as gifts, and she was also a very good
seamstress, as evidenced by the beautiful, frilly dresses that she made for
me when I was a little girl.Chris Lessly
Friday, 21 July 1922, Vol 36, No 14--NEW SCHOOL TEACHER--At a meeting of the
school board Thursday of last week, Joseph Robertson, a student in Central College,Fayette, the past year, was elected to take the place of Mrs. Roy Lessly, one of our teachers last year, and who had been re-employed for the coming year, on the understanding, we learn, that she was not to marry during the term of school, the employment of married lady teachers being against the policy of the board. While Mr. Robertson, who will teach mathematics and science and will have charge of athletics, has had no teaching experience, we learn, he impressed the board as a born teacher, and all are confident he will prove the very man needed. Prospects are very flattering, we are pleased to state, for the very best school we have ever had, and for a decided increase in the number of non-resident pupils, whose tuition will be a decided help.
1 _UID 44BE09F57D3C3042ACEB73C8CF54A57A3F56
24 Aug 1900--Born, on the 22nd, to G. E. Lessly and wife, a daughter.Friday, 17 Apr 1914--We printed neat cards this week for the graduating class of the Old Higbee School. Commencement exercises will be held on the 24th at 1:30 p.m. The class contains eight, as follows: Harley Raymond Chesser, Cromer Eugene Griffith, Lena Irvin Hudson, Anna Maude Lessly, Stiles Lessly, Raymond Sigsbee Shaefer and John Edwards Smith. Mrs. Walton Burton is the teacher.
Friday, 5 May 1922, Vol 36, No 3--MISS ANNIE MAUDE LESSLY MARRIED--Miss Annie Maude Lessly sprang a surprise on her parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Lessly, and friends Tuesday of last week by announcing her marriage in Kansas City on last Thanksgiving to Mr. Murrill A. Clark of Moberly, the announcement being the first intimation that she was even contemplating marriage. She left Wednesday of last week for Prescott, Ariz., to join Mr. Clark, and where they will make their future home. The NEWS joins other friends in best wishes.
1 _UID 0E91159E574BE648A4E2BB3BF3CB72BE8C02
30 June 1905--Born, on the 27th, to George E. Lessly and wife, a son.Friday, 22 Dec 1911--LETTERS TO SANTA CLAUS--Dear Old Santa Claus: Do not forget me this year. I am a little boy 6 years old and have two baby sisters, Delphia May and Addie Frances. I want a sled and a knife and some candy and nuts, and Delphia wants a doll and a doll cart, a rubber ball and a big picture book and candy and nuts. Addie Frances wants a doll, a Teddy, a rubber ball and a pair of shoes and
candy and nuts--Carl Lessly.
1 _UID 286833C2158A6544A0424E68E53AF380F7CE
12 Nov 1909--Born, on the 7th, to G. E. Lessly and wife a daughter.Listed in the SS Death Index
SSN - 491-07-0897
Born - Nov 6, 1909
Died - 15 Oct, 2000
Residence - 67218, Wichita, Sedgwick, KS
Issued - MO before 1951Friday, 29 Feb 1924, Vol 37 No 45--Misses Delphia, Addie and Orphia Lessly visited
their brother, Roy, and family at Clark last week.
1 _UID E76FB95DA72E5A4BB011582EE616BF432B45
Friday, 16 Aug 1912--Born, on the 9th, to G. E. Lessly and wife, a daughter.Friday, 29 Feb 1924, Vol 37 No 45--Misses Delphia, Addie and Orphia Lessly visited
their brother, Roy, and family at Clark last week.
Listed in SS Death Index
SSN - 491-07-0934
Born - 9 Aug 1912
Died - Mar 1985
Residence - 67218, Wichita, Sedgwick, KS
Issued - MO before 1951Thursday, 28 Apr 1927, Vol 40, No 51, Pg. 5 Col. 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Misses Addie and Orphia Lessly, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Lessly, who have been suffering from diphtheria for the past week, are much better, we are glad to state. It was feared Tuesday night of last week that Miss Addie could not live through the night, and but for the fact that Dr. C. F. Burkhalter remained at her bedside all night
and fought for her life by keeping her throat clear, she likely would have passed away. A trained nurse was secured the next day, and each has received every care and attention. An air-tight quarantine was established as soon as the nature of the malady was determined, and there is no fear of the disease spreading. Where they contracted the disease is a mystery. So far as is known there are no other cases in this section.Thursday, 5 May 1927, Vol 40, No 52, Pg. 1 Col. 3--SCHOOL NOTES--The high
school has been very sorry to lose Nellie Sperry, Addie and Orpha Lessly from their
midst. Nellie has gone to Marshall to live with her parents. Addie and Orpha have been
very ill with diphtheria, and will be unable to return to school.